


The Power of Wishing

by 60r3d0m



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Awkward Boners, Bottom Dean Winchester, Case Fic, Doctor Castiel (Supernatural), Doctor Dean Winchester, Episode: s14e12 Prophet and Loss, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Nurse Dean Winchester, Season/Series 14, Sharing a Bed, Temporary Amnesia, Top Castiel, Trapped In Elevator
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-22 01:49:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17653721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/60r3d0m/pseuds/60r3d0m
Summary: “Dean, please, you are embarrassing me.”Cas’ voice comes out stiff and awkward.Dean crosses his arms.“I’m…embarrassing…you?” Dean repeats.“Yes.”“I thought I was your fucking trophy husband, Cas.”A four-part coda toProphet & Loss, or otherwise, a case fic. where Dr. Novak drives Dean Winchester wild.Final chapter posts: Sunday





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because Dr. Novak was just about my favourite thing and I needed more of him, and I'm pretty damn sure that Dean needed more of him, too, so here this is.
> 
> This was supposed to be a one-shot coda, but my mental health's not been so great lately so writing's been a slow process. I figured that I better post before the next episode airs, and I found myself writing a case fic. only loosely resembling a coda anyway, so splitting this up into three chapters felt like a good idea. This fic. will be complete Friday, after which I anticipate that I'll probably be writing a longer AO3 coda for the 300th episode as well.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! <3

Dean knows that he’s done for. Dean knows it because as soon as Cas swaggers over in his dorky doctor get-up, Dean’s lips twitch and he can barely stop his eyes from roving the length of Cas’ body.

Cas glares at him, hands fisted, a storm brewing in his eyes, and that fucker’s looking for a fight because, _Mr. Winchester_ , he snaps, gravel voice rumbling so damn deep that it sends shivers down Dean’s spine.

Dean ought to snap back, but instead his voice cracks.

“Doctor,” Dean manages and he’s _helpless_.

It’s not going to be easy when they get home.

 

 

 

 

Cas is all thunder and heartbreak, and for a moment, Dean forgets the adorable get-up because they fight.

 _So then this is good-bye_.

Cas gazes at him, utters it with his bottom lip wobbling, but it’s defiance that makes his mouth quiver, all of heaven’s fury contained in his jaw that’s clenched so tight that it can only hurt.

Dean can’t _bear_ that. He’s never been good at seeing him in pain.

His chest feels hollow at the sight.

 

 

 

 

The drive home is like drowning.

 

 

 

 

They never get home.

They never get home because Sam’s phone buzzes and Jody pleads with them to check out a haunted hospital in Missouri where Alex once worked at.

This time, the three of them go undercover, Sam and Dean as nurses but Cas goes right back to donning his doctor costume, so Dean’s life’s a living hell (or maybe it’s heaven). _Give me a hand here, Mr. Winchester_ , Cas requests every so often, his mouth brushing right up against Dean’s ear as he murmurs it. _Take a seat, nurse,_ he directs, when he wants to demonstrate to an elderly gentlemen how to check if the lymph nodes in his thigh are swollen again. And then a simple _Oh_ when he puts his hands on Dean, a sound so breathless that the nurse attending to the patient in the adjoining bed stops what she’s doing and stares at them.

Turns out, Dean really likes being watched when Cas is touching him. Turns out that all it takes is Cas trailing his hands down to Dean’s hips to get Dean hard. When Cas’ hands reach the inside of his thighs, Dean throws back his head and barely swallows a groan.

“Are you alright?” Cas asks then, but there’s a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and Dean only wishes to god that Cas would move his hands a little higher.

 

 

 

 

They’re not there longer than noon, but already they get in trouble.

At first, Dean thinks that they’ve been caught, because it’s one thing to pretend to be FBI and another to infiltrate a hospital. But Sam doesn’t get called down with them. Instead, the chief of surgery invites Dean and Cas to sit down with him and he doesn’t look happy.

“Dr. Novak, I know that you are new, but a senior nurse reported that you were engaging in inappropriate workplace behaviour with Mr. Winchester.”

He pauses, as if he expects them to know what the hell that means, and all Dean can think of are the thirteen patients that they saw this morning with whom Cas proceeded to play good cop, bad cop—they might have made a kid cry.

But it’s not that.

“By inappropriate behaviour, I am referring to—quote—‘highly sensual caresses of Mr. Winchester’s thighs at the hands of Dr. Novak in a self-care demonstration aimed at an elderly patient with a heart problem’—unquote.”   

Dean chokes. Dean chokes and his face gets hot and he doesn’t know what to do because he’s not expecting _this._ But Cas? Cas is _fine_. Cas is handsome and smooth and all beautiful white teeth as he smiles and reassures the chief that _they would never_. Cas is all smirks and startling blue eyes that won’t leave Dean’s mouth as he presses a hand to Dean’s thigh again and offers to _demonstrate_ what they did.

The chief isn’t impressed. He raises his brows.

“So you’re not denying that you’re in a relationship?”

And Cas—Cas, that stupidly attractive asshole—tells him that they’re married.

 

 

 

 

The thing that starts haunting Dean is that he doesn’t know _why_ Cas tells her that they’re married. There’s nothing that calls for it. There’s no explanation that follows when the two of them head to the elevator because there’s a patient on level three that has an alarmingly intense head ache.

The elevator—the elevator isn’t a great place for Dean. The elevator brings back thousands of _Dr. Sexy M.D._ episodes which remind him that it’s time for Dr. Novak to push a blushing man up against its walls. That they’re not _real_ medical professionals until Dean’s moaning loud enough for the whole staff to hear, the pink panties that Dean chose to wear this morning lost until another embarrassed colleague hands them back to him.

But nothing happens in the elevator.

“I will be good cop this time,” Cas informs him, running a hand down Dean’s arm in a way that makes him shudder, and that’s all the quality time that Dean enjoys with his husband before he’s gone.

 

 

 

 

Maybe hospital life really is like a _Dr. Sexy M.D._ episode because when Dean heads to the canteen to get lunch, it’s only to find Sam gossiping with an attending.

“Did you hear about the pretty nurse that the new neurosurgeon’s banging?” the doctor asks Sam, and Dean sees that split second of confusion before realization dawns on Sam’s face. “Bokhee saw Novak feeling up the nurse’s thighs right in front of a patient.”

“Um, _Castiel_?” Sam stammers, clearly spooked at the idea that Cas would be banging _anybody_. When the attending nods, Sam looks even more concerned, only for his worry to turn to horror when another busybody informs him that the pretty nurse is _Dean._

Dean wants to die.

“Yeah,” the attending sighs and looks at his plate of pasta wistfully. “Heard they’re married though. Wish I had a trophy husband like that.”  

 

 

 

 

Dean doesn’t know where he learnt it, but Cas keeps licking his lips and staring at Dean’s mouth like he wants to devour him, and because Dean knows that Cas never used to do that before, he’s ready to kill the bastard who taught him.

Sam’s standing awkwardly in the corner, helping a shy elderly lady with her pudding. He keeps glancing over, eyes darting between Dean and Cas, mostly because Dean hasn’t addressed the rumours, and it doesn’t help that Cas keeps crowding up against Dean from behind to ask him if he’s noticed any ectoplasm.

The sensation of Cas’ lips to his ear are enough to make him faint.

 

 

 

 

Okay, Dean didn’t _actually_ expect to faint—he was only exaggerating—except that’s exactly what must’ve happened because he wakes up like a damsel in distress in Dr. Novak’s arms.

Cas smooths back his hair and Dean blinks at him, only to flush red when he realizes that his head is in Cas’ lap and his right hand entwined with Cas’ perfect fingers.

“Dean, stay still,” Cas orders when Dean struggles to get up, and then Sam pops by helpfully, urging him to drink water.

“Think we should call it a day, huh, man? Head back to the motel and brainstorm?”

For some reason, Sam doesn’t think that they’re dealing with a ghost anymore.

 

 

 

  

“C’mon,” Dean protests. “I don’t need this.”

But Cas is bloody insistent. He prods Dean over and over again until Dean hops up onto the motel bathroom counter and pulls off his shirt. From the doorway, Sam watches and there must be something lodged in his throat because he won’t stop coughing.

“Are you sure you guys don’t want your own room?” Sam asks for the umpteenth time and his voice wavers. He still thinks that Dean and Cas are fucking, and Dean’s not really sure how to broach the topic with his little brother because Dean is frankly a coward.

“Breathe in for me,” Cas says, pressing the stethoscope against Dean’s bare chest, and Dean shivers at the cold metal. Cas listens to his lungs attentively, except he keeps leaning in, closer and closer to Dean’s face to do it, so that their mouths and noses are an inch from bumping.

“Your heart is racing,” Cas says, pulling the stethoscope back and Dean just _mhmm_ s his response because he’s completely useless at words. At that, Cas frowns and he presses his hand to Dean’s back, rubs in comforting little circles and Dean’s not _ready_ for that. Dean’s not ready to have Cas’ bare hands up on his naked skin, wanting to make sure that he’s _okay_ , wanting to _take_ _care_ of him because that’s always been _Dean’s_ job.

“It’s nothing,” Dean says and he tries to wriggle out of Cas’ clutches but just then, Cas’ hand dips to rest at his hip, and even though he’s always been good at suppressing things, it’s like Dean’s dick’s got a mind of its own. Dean pants, digs his nails into the palm of his hand and hopes that the pain will make his current problem go away.

“I think I need a shower,” Dean says, and tries to scramble off the counter to grab a towel to conceal his embarrassing truth. But then Cas grasps his shoulder and asks sincerely, “Would you like me to watch you?” and the tenting of his pants only grows more bolder.

 

 

 

 

Cas declares that he’s sleeping with Dean because he’s worried for his health and Dean’s dick immediately gets the memo.

Dean whines, complains, hurls meaningless insults to get out of it, but Cas is fucking determined, and Sam, out of fear, checks into another motel room under the pretence that he’s got a cold that he doesn’t want to pass on.

They wriggle in bed together, trying to find a comfortable spot, but soon enough, it becomes apparent that the only way that they’re going to fit on this fucking bed is if they spoon and that’s _definitely_ not happening.

So they shuffle and bump some more, and Dean asks Cas why he’s tormenting him when he doesn’t even need sleep, but Cas is _clingy._  Cas tells him that he wants tangible proof that Dean’s not sneaking off to throw himself into the ocean any time soon and, “I _promised_ I wouldn’t, Cas,” Dean says, but Cas goes quiet and Dean can tell that he’s not happy.

It only gets more awkward when Dean ends up flush against Cas’ chest to avoid falling off the bed.

After that, Dean doesn’t dare move. After that, Dean worries that any sort of friction will set off a chain of cataclysmic events that he’s not ready for, and as if to encourage those events, Cas wraps an arm around his waist. Dean spends at least seven minutes panicking until he gets so sleepy that he lets himself relax and tuck his head into the crook of Cas’ neck.

After that, it’s all silence.

Maybe Dean only dreams.

But then, “Why’d you do it?” he mumbles.

Cas doesn’t speak for a good long time, as if he’s considering his answer, but he starts rubbing circles into Dean’s back again as if to reassure him that he’s not mad, and maybe Dean’s just too damn tired to protest because Dean lets him.

Besides, it feels nice.

It’s somewhere in the span of maybe two minutes or two hours that Cas finally answers, when Dean’s had his eyes closed forever, when Dean’s lying there, buried in the scent of Cas, enjoying his warmth, enjoying his presence, and he’s not expecting an answer out of him, at least not after so long, but Cas has one.

“Do what?” he says and Dean isn’t sure anymore.

“…Marry me?”

 

 

 

 

He’s not used to waking up with someone next to him, but when he does, it doesn’t feel like it’s the first time—it feels like he’s been here for years. He’s still curled up against Cas, face pressed to his pseudo-husband’s chest, and Cas’ arm’s still around his waist, keeping him anchored, keeping him steady, and he just melts.

It’s a whole hour later before he finally snaps out of it, and Cas is slow to rise, too, as if he’s really been sleeping (but who knows what the dork gets up to at night?). They don’t talk much, just whiz around each other to get dressed and brush their teeth. When Sam finally meets them out front, he raises a brow at Dean’s good mood, but then he must remember the rumours because he gulps and sits in the back seat.

But back at the hospital, things change.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it took me an entire week to update. I really wanted to have this whole thing done by now, but exam week is beginning so part three will also have to wait until Sunday to post (though I'll definitely try for earlier if I can!)
> 
> As for this chapter, it may be a little cracky and the prose definitely needs some refinement but I hope that it'll be entertaining to read, anyway :D A little warning, though: Dean spends this entire chapter moping about how Cas likes someone else better than him, which is obviously a big misunderstanding, but just so you know :P

Dean doesn’t notice it at first.

He doesn’t notice how the hospital changes form, how the faces of the nurses and the doctors that he spoke to just yesterday seem a little different, seem more and more like characters from _Dr. Sexy M.D._ and the drama of its operating room. The reality is that he’s too caught up with taming his _dick_. He’s too caught up, trying to pretend that Dr. Novak doesn’t stir him up in ways that he can’t even understand.

Cas is _chill_. Cas is confident and cool by contrast. When he looks at Dean, he doesn’t become a blubbering mess like Dean does. When he presses a hand to the small of Dean’s back, his breath doesn’t catch in his throat, words smooth as he tells an inquiring staff member that _Yes, this is my husband. Yes, this is Dr. Dean Winchester._

The staff watch them. The staff gossip, their eager scandals reaching Dean’s ears. Dean hears how they think he’s _a pretty thing._ Dean hears them speculate, if Dr. Novak married him for his beauty or his brains. But as the day goes on, he starts hearing _other_ things. Things about how their marriage is losing _heat_. Things about how Dr. Novak’s been flirting with _another_ doctor, a newbie intern, and how someone swore that they saw Dean and Cas arguing about it during a shared surgery.

Of course, he _knows_ that none of it’s true.

Real life isn’t like _Dr. Sexy_ , even if he’s secretly pictured himself in the soap a thousand times.

 

 

 

 

Okay.

Alright.

It starts _getting_ to him.

It’s not that Dean doesn’t know that they’re just playing a goddamn part—after all, that’s what Cas explained to him last night. It’s not that Dean doesn’t know that when Cas holds his hand briefly after a patient dies, it’s just for the benefit of the staff that likes to cause drama, a reassurance that no one will question their identities until they figure out what’s up with the hospital.

But when yet another nurse makes a remark about his fake husband having googly eyes for a certain _Dr. Grey_ , when yet another anaesthetist gives him a pity smile as he tells Dean that Dr. Novak is yet again visiting the third floor when he doesn’t have any goddamn business being there, some stupid part of him starts worrying, anyway.

“So, uh, did you hear about—do you think Cas has found someone?” he asks Sam, when Sam is helping him hook up a baby to a heart monitor in the NICU.

Sam glances at him, then does a double-take. “Weren’t you a nurse yesterday, Dean?”

Dean rolls his eyes. “No, Sammy, I wasn’t. Pay attention once in a while, huh? Name tag’s _Doctor_ Winchester, neonatal _surgeon_. Anyway”—Dean clears his throat—“so, Cas…”

Sam frowns, mutters something under his breath and pulls out the notebook that he usually reserves for cases where they’re pretending to be FBI. Dean sees him scribble something down that suspiciously resembles the words _omg dean has no medical training???_ , but then, when Dean won’t stop gulping nervously, Sam says, “Well, Cas didn’t tell me anything about finding a suspect, but Dean, man, get this—”

Sam doesn’t get time to propose his theory about the hospital, though.

Just then, Dean spots Cas through the window of the NICU.

Cas is with Dr. Grey.  

 

 

 

They’re not really married—Dean _knows_ that. But the thing is—Dean _wishes_ that they were.

It’s not like he hasn’t pictured Cas a thousand times with him, lying in bed, waking up at his side. When Dean’s thought of the future, it’s been with him, cruising down roads, Cas buckled in the passenger seat, the wind caressing his hair as he smiles at Dean.  

So he feels like a worried wife when he trails behind his fake-husband to see if he’s being fake-cheated on. He feels like everything’s falling apart, when Cas and the woman duck into one of the bedrooms reserved for overnight doctors.

In the end, he doesn’t wait around. He doesn’t want to know if Cas is doing the dirty with someone who’s probably got more freckles than Dean.

He clenches his jaw and walks past the door without a backwards glance.

 

 

 

 

Cas finds him.

Dean spends all day avoiding him, but Cas corners him and pulls him into a supply closet and all Dean can do is try not to think of what people in _Dr. Sexy M.D._ usually do in here.

“ _Dean_ ,” Cas growls, all deliciously deep in a way that gives Dean the urge to adjust his pants. But then he catches the scent of women’s perfume wafting off Cas’ coat and his dick deflates.

“What?” Dean says and shoves. Cas blinks in surprise, but doesn’t move an inch, as if he’s still the boulder angel that Dean spent fourteen seasons—still counting—breaking down. But then a moment later, under Dean’s hand, Cas swerves back as if he’s been pushed.

The reaction’s so late that it’s only comical.

Cas wavers on his two feet. Then, softly, “Are you alright, Dean?” he asks.

“Fine. Just fine.”

But of course he’s not _fine_. He knows that he’s got no right to be angry—it’s not like there’s a fucking ring on his left hand—but the confirmation that Dean missed his chance, that Dean was too coward to tell Cas about how he feels—it hurts.

It hurts _so_ _goddamn_ _much_.

He shuts his eyes when Cas places a hand on his shoulder.

“If it’s Michael, Dean, we can leave.”

Cas’ voice is so gentle that Dean caves. Cas could be uttering threats and it’d still feel like making love to Dean’s ears. So Dean shakes his head. Forces himself to meet Cas’ eyes and smile, however strained.

“’M fine, okay? Just a headache—what’s up?”

Cas tilts his head.

Maybe he’s afraid of what a headache means for Dean when Michael’s locked up inside his mind. But it’s not that. Because Cas looks at him as if he knows Dean’s deepest, darkest secrets.

Slowly, “Sam,” he says, “believes that he knows what is happening.”

 

 

 

 

Dean’s just doing his job in his opinion when he tells a ninety-nine-year-old that he’s probably not going to live to see summer given his bratty attitude, but Cas pulls him aside and says, “Dean, please, you are embarrassing me.”

Cas’ voice comes out stiff and awkward.

Dean crosses his arms.

“I’m…embarrassing… _you_?” Dean repeats.

“Yes.”

“I thought I was your fucking trophy husband, Cas.”

And Cas narrows his brows at him, and there’s something in his look that’s defiant, something that approaches domination, and for a moment, Dean’s thoughts are derailed, instead fly to the nice lace green panties that he’s wearing today, and it’s probably not good that he’s picturing Cas tying his arms and legs to the bedposts and—

And great, Dean’s got a boner.

Dean swallows, averts his eyes and looks anywhere but at Dr. Novak’s face, almost afraid that Cas can read his mind, and maybe Cas can because his voice pitches low and deep as he commands, “ _Look_ at me.”

God, he might be an angel, but there’s something _sinful_ about Cas’ voice.

Dean looks at him.

“I don’t understand,” Cas says and he grips Dean by the shoulders, reels him in closer until all Dean can think about is Cas’ mouth. “I don’t understand why you are being so infuriating, Dean.”

A nurse enters the room, the same one who reported them to Dr. Webber for inappropriate groping of Dean’s thighs earlier. Cas smiles at her, drops his hands from Dean’s shoulders and instead grabs his wrist, leads him away to a dark corner where the patient can’t see them but the nurse still can. Dean finds himself pinned against the wall, Cas’ hands on his hips, holding him in place, and Cas leans in, lips pressed to Dean’s neck as if they’re just sneaking kisses.

The nurse rolls her eyes and pointedly ignores them.

She can’t report them for being married if the patient doesn’t catch them in the act. Besides, the old man’s too busy watching _Dr. Sexy_ on his television set. It’s the only goddamn channel that plays around here.

Cas turns his attention back to Dean.

“Dean, why did you tell that elderly gentleman that he’s going to die? You’re a surgeon for _newborn babies_. You shouldn’t even be in this room.”

“What now, Cas? Is it a fucking crime to want to spend some time with my spouse?”

The hands on Dean’s hips clamp down harder. Dean swallows and Cas’ eyes follow the bob of his Adam’s apple, gaze flicking downwards even further when he notices how heavy Dean’s breathing is. Dean flushes when he realizes Cas can see the top of his lace panties, peeking out obscenely above his waistline.

Like a fucking beacon, the blood rushes down to Dean’s dick again.

Cas lets out an unsteady breath. He leans in close again, mouth moving against Dean’s ear. “I always enjoy our time together, Dean—you know that.”

And Dean can’t stop himself from thinking it:

_You seemed to enjoy that intern’s time a lot, too._

But Dean doesn’t say it. Instead, Dean bites back a groan because Cas chooses precisely that goddamn moment to press in closer, until their hips are flush. Until Cas can probably feel how fucking hard Dean is right now, how badly he wants him even though he knows that he can’t have him, and that’s what makes Dean so fucking _moody_.

“Did I do something to upset you, Dean?”

The sadness in Cas’ voice makes him feel guilty immediately.

“It’s not—” Dean averts his eyes. “It’s not you, okay? I’m…”

 _I’m in love with you. I don’t want you with Dr. Grey. I need you with_ me _._

_I wish…_

“You keep saying that you’re fine, Dean,” Cas says, “but you have been moping all day. I know that you don’t believe Sam’s theory that the hospital—”

But at the mention of Sam’s theory, the anger comes rushing back.

“Of course, I don’t believe it, Cas! If—if it were true, my stupid wishes would be coming to life, wouldn’t they, huh? I wouldn’t have to watch yo—”

Cas lets go of him. He drops his hands from Dean’s waist, steps back and Dean thinks that maybe he’s finally done it. That Cas has put two and two together, knows how badly Dean’s pining, and maybe he’s repulsed by it.

But that’s not what happens.

Instead, Dean’s pulled into Cas’ arms again, an awkward hug that can only ever come from this dorky angel, and then Cas vows, just as fiercely as he’s squeezing Dean’s lungs right now: “I promise we will find a way to get rid of Michael.”

And Dean nods.

Dean nods, even though it’s the last thing on Dean’s mind.

Dean whispers a _thank_ _you_ , hugs Cas back so that for a moment, he doesn’t have to pretend how badly he needs him.

But then night falls.

And at Dr. Grey’s insistence, Cas stays back at the hospital for an extra shift.

At the motel, Dean crawls into bed alone.

It’s not like he should be expecting Cas to be here, but his heart aches, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is! I'm miserably behind on answering comments right now, but I'd still love to hear from you and I will get back to everyone soon <3 Anyway, thank you for reading! :D Next Sunday will hopefully conclude this story!
> 
> (pst, and if by any chance you've watched the 300th episode and want to read a mini coda, I have one [here](https://60r3d0m.tumblr.com/post/182658686362/deancas-coda-14x13-700-words-deans-breath-is) and would be overjoyed if you read it :P)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late again, I'm so sorryy!! I've been feeling bleh this week and it turns out three chapters is, in fact, not enough time to wrap up this story, so there will be one final chapter out Sunday. I've been hit with the strong mood to write angst though, and I've got this week off from school, so I'm hoping to post two more fics later this week as well *fingers crossed*
> 
> anyway, enjoy! :D

Dean wakes up.

Dean wakes up sweating, gasping, hot and bothered.

He’s not used to waking up like this. He’s not used to rising with a body pressed up against his back, snuggling close, a stubbled face buried in the crook of his neck. He’s not used to these arms, wrapped around his waist while a sleepy partner breathes, slowly and evenly, into his ear.

 _Cas_.

He’s not used to _Cas_.

Like _this_.

Dean shifts, manages to get on his back despite Cas’ arms around him and Cas moves in accommodation, unconsciously shifting to lay his head against Dean’s heart instead. For a moment, none of it makes sense. For a moment, Dean wonders where the hell they are, expects the musty stench of a rundown motel to meet his nose, but instead, the scent of disinfectant and hospital blankets is what hits him instead.

But as the fog of slumber lifts, it all starts coming back.

On-call room.

They’d decided on the first day of the case that sneaking sleep here was better than being holed up in a motel where they might miss activity that could explain what was happening at the hospital.

So in the slightest, Dean relaxes.

But only in the slightest.

The truth is, Dean’s a train wreck. Dean’s heart is beating so wildly in his chest that he’s afraid that maybe it’ll stop beating altogether. What in god’s name is Cas doing here, anyway? What happened to that freaking intern, Dr. Grey, who Cas was supposed to be doing surgeries with all nightlong?

But then all of his thoughts shatter.

Because just then, Cas _moves_.

Cas isn’t awake. Cas is still there, cheek flattened to Dean’s chest, his legs and arms every which way, but his hips shift. Cas sighs, a small contented exhale that could only really come from a damn good dream, but then Dean’s brain turns to ice because Cas’ dick is _hard_ , pressing right up against Dean’s thigh.

Who knew angels could get morning wood?

Dean tries to stay calm. Dean tries to tell his own stupid dick not to get any bright ideas, to not get so fucking excited, but it’s not two seconds later that another part of his body starts rising to wakefulness, too. For a second, Dean thinks that it might be okay. For a second, Dean’s sure that he can disentangle himself, head to the showers and dunk some cold water over his head so that no one will have to know what’s up and happening in his pants.

But then it all goes sideways.

As soon as Dean turns his back to Cas, Cas latches onto him. Arms and legs around Dean, he seeks Dean’s warmth instinctively as if Dean’s the only piece of driftwood that can keep him afloat in a churning sea. Dean tries to slip out of the chaos of Cas’ collection of limbs. Dean tries to shuffle away but then Cas bucks, dick right up against Dean’s ass and Dean’s efforts come screeching to a halt.

After that, it’s a game of patience. After that, all Dean can do is try to stay as still as possible, pray that Cas doesn’t wake up, pray that Cas doesn’t see how fucking tight Dean’s pants are now that Cas’ own hardness is insistently pressing up against the thin fabric of Dean’s sleep shorts, ruffling the pretty satin lace panties that Dean’s got on underneath.

But _of_ _course_ Cas wakes up.

Because that’s just how Dean’s luck runs.

And then Dean wants nothing more than for the earth to swallow him whole.

Cas grumbles against Dean’s neck, a guttural sleepy groan that turns into a husky “Dean?” when Cas realizes whose neck he’s planting his face in. Dean opens his mouth, tries to say something. Dean’s lips twist but no goddamn words come out because all he needs is Cas whispering his name in that rough gravelly voice of his and Dean’s already in danger of ruining his panties.

But finally, “Uh, morning, sunshine?” Dean manages.

Cas lets out a discontented sound again, as if Dean’s words are some kind of personal assault on his being, but then snuggling further into the crook of Dean’s neck, Cas exhales “Morning” against his ear.

Dean shivers.

Cas shifts even closer.

He doesn’t know if Cas is just too drowsy to notice it. He doesn’t know if Cas is still half-dreaming, unaware that his hips are flush with Dean’s backside, in this compromising position that has Dean biting back moans. Dean wriggles, smiles nervously and tries to save both their dignities, but then Cas trails his mouth from Dean’s ear to his neck and _kisses_ him. 

“How is my husband doing today?” Cas asks and Dean whimpers.

 

 

 

 

Sam isn’t impressed.

Sam shoots him a dirty look and says, “So _now_ you believe me?”

Dean glares at him—not that he has any right to—but when Sam taps his foot impatiently in expectation, Dean blurts out everything.

“Dude, he _kissed_ me. He felt me up and _kissed_ me.”

The hysterical edge to Dean’s voice doesn’t have Sam batting an eye.

Sam sighs. “Dean, haven’t you noticed the _other_ things? We were in a _motel_ last night. You were a _fainting_ _nurse_ on the first day. Cas is your not-fake-anymore husband today and that’s what finally convinces you that we’re dealing with a tulpa? Dean—this hospital runs like a freaking _Dr_. _Sexy M.D._ episode!”

When Dean just looks meekly at him, Sam rakes a hand over his face and looks away as if he couldn’t be more disappointed.

“This can’t be good,” Sam mutters. “I mean, Dean, if Cas is sleeping now—if he’s been taken in by the tulpa—oh my god, does he even have his grace anymore?”  

But it turns out, Cas is missing a hell of a lot more than his grace.

 

 

 

 

Cas doesn’t remember being an angel.

Cas doesn’t remember that the _supernatural_ exists.

Cas looks at them as if they’re nutcases, and suddenly, Dean doesn’t know what’s real or not.

 

 

 

 

It isn’t easy.

Dean spends the entire day doing recon and all he ends up concluding is that getting rid of the goddamn tulpa’s gonna be a nightmare.

 _Dr. Sexy M.D_.’s on every freaking channel. Every patient’s dreaming up a fantasy about what hospital life ought to look like, and that’s the life that Dean finds reflected in every facet of his being.

It doesn’t help that half the time, Dean’s aching for Cas. It doesn’t help that every two seconds, he fantasizes about Cas pinning him up against a wall, about Cas’ hand travelling down to the lace waistband of Dean’s satin blue underwear, groping until Dean’s biting his lips to stifle filthy sounds.

It’s Sam who pulls him aside. It’s Sam who snaps him out of it, because every time Dean gets a dreamy look in his eyes, Sam panics and thinks that Dean might be losing his memories, too.

“Stay focused,” Sam says and the only way that Dean can do that is by avoiding Cas.

 

 

 

 

Okay, Dean’s not _good_ at avoiding Cas.

For one, he keeps hearing the damn rumours. He keeps hearing talk about how Cas is two-timing, how Cas is cuckolding Dean and how Dr. Grey’s his fucking sidepiece who’s maybe a little more than off to the side.

He tries to remind himself that it’s not real. He tries to remember that he’s not married to Cas, that if they fix this, they’ll go back to their lives—lives where Cas doesn’t kiss him regularly, where Michael’s still a dick inside his head and the number one problem that they’ve got is saving Dean from making a splash in the Pacific.

But most of the time, it doesn’t work.

At lunch, Dean bumps into Dr. Grey. He sees her and sees Cas, watches as the beautiful intern makes her way over to Dr. Novak who’s all smiles, who pulls out a chair for her at his table and promises to reveal all the secrets of neurosurgery to her.

If Dean spends the next hour moping in the NICU—well, that’s completely unrelated.

Or at least he thinks so, for a good twenty minutes. He ends up ranting to another intern as they secure a respirator to a tiny infant born premature. The intern’s handsome but moody, and Dean’s about two seconds away from kicking Dr. Karev off his service before he realizes that this doctor probably knows Cas’ mistress. It’s only when Sam pops by and interrupts Dean’s savage interrogation that Dean realizes that he’s playing right into the _Dr. Sexy_ script.

By the exasperated look on Sam’s face, Sam realizes it, too.    

 

 

 

 

They’re trapped.

They try to leave the hospital but find that they can’t.

Sam whisks Dean away, grabs his arm and resolutely marches them in the direction of the motel (Dean still doesn’t remember there being a motel, but then again, he’s starting to forget that they were ever hunters). But before they even make it down the hallway, the whole hospital locks down because there’s an angry bear wandering outside (where are they—fucking Canada?). After that fiasco, they try again, desperate to escape the tulpa’s reach of power, but a patient with a deadly contagious virus stumbles in and puts the whole hospital under lockdown _again_. When Dean braves a step outside the hospital despite it all, the entire building shakes, the beginning of a minor earthquake, and it’s then that Sam decides that maybe tempting fate today isn’t the greatest idea.

“It’s the _show_ , Dean,” Sam mutters, running his fingers through his outlandishly long hair. “As long as the television sets in this hospital keep showing reruns of _Dr_. _Sexy_ , the tulpa can’t die.”

Dean nods, but if he’s being honest, he’s not exactly invested in the situation.

Mostly because he can’t remember what Sam is talking about anymore.

Sam doesn’t notice though, keeps going on, something about cutting the power to the hospital, something about how he’s not sure if the damn hospital’s equipped to handle that kind of system failure, but how they’ve got to try so long as they don’t endanger any lives. “Maybe, temporarily, we could dull the tulpa’s power,” Sam says. “Y’know, if the soap opera’s out of everybody’s head, maybe they’ll start to remember? And Cas, too? Use his grace to bind the…”

That’s as far as Dean goes, because everything after that just confuses him. He starts thinking about his husband’s affair again, starts thinking about how Cas hasn’t been wearing the cowboy boots that Dean gifted him on their third anniversary for the last couple of weeks, even though that’s what makes Dr. Novak so sexy.

By the time that Sam’s done, Dean barely knows who this nurse talking to him is, and the nurse seems to realize it, too, because he grabs Dean by the shoulders and says sternly, “Go find Cas, Dean. Bring him to me.”

It’s only when Sam shows him a picture of Cas smiling at him from the Impala’s backseat that Dean remembers.

 

 

 

 

_Tulpa, tulpa, tulpa._

Those are the words that Dean chants in his head as he looks for Cas.

That, and the fact that he keeps glancing at the photo that Sam sent him on his phone, because it’s the only goddamn anchor that Dean has attached to reality at this point.

“You keep getting sucked into the soap’s drama, Dean,” Sam had warned him. “Be careful.”

So Dean’s doing that. Dean’s reminding himself with every step that his marriage is fake. Dean’s mumbling under his breath that Dr. Grey’s just a figment of everybody’s imaginations, a character drawn out of _Dr. Sexy M.D.,_ and that everything will be okay once Sam puts his plan into action.

As long as Dean can find Cas in the next fifteen minutes.

When there are two minutes to go, Dean’s in a panic. Dean rushes into the elevator, slams his fist on the _Close Doors_ button and prays that Cas’ll be on the third floor (it’s the one floor that Dean’s avoided going to because that’s where he keeps finding his hus— _fake_ husband with Dr. Grey). But turns out that he’s right because as soon as he’s there, Dr. Novak’s on the other side with the pretty intern, and Dean doesn’t waste a goddamn second—he pulls his husband in and shuts the elevator doors again before the intern can even think to enter.

“Dean?” Cas says, tilting his head, as Dean presses his finger to the button taking them straight to the roof.

 

 

 

 

They don’t get to the roof.

The power goes out and the elevator screeches to a halt.

They’re _stuck_.

They’re two doctors stuck in an elevator in the middle of a freaking _Dr. Sexy M.D_. episode.

Dean swallows.

His heart flutters in his chest.

He knows how this is supposed to go.

When Dr. Novak pins him up against the elevator wall a moment later, Dean fists his hands into Cas’ coat and gets ready for the drama to unfold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading <33 as always, I would love to hear from you! :D

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are cool, comments are always appreciated, and if you'd like, you can visit me on Tumblr [here](http://60r3d0m.tumblr.com) :D


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